Climbing-iron



pwl 28, w36. J. PFISTERSHAMMER 259399385 CLIMBING IRON Filed July ll,1955 Patented Apr. 28, 1936 tiNiiED STATES PATE'E1 OFFIQE ApplicationJuly 11, 1935, Serial No. 30,929 In Germany July 18, 1934 3 Claims.

Applications have been led in Germany on the 18th July 1934, in Belgiumon the 10th August 1934 and in Rouinania on the 29th October 1934.

This invention relates to climbing-irons for 5 use in climbing masts,posts, and columns of all kinds and of all cross-sectional shapes, andhas for its main object to provide climbing-irons which are adaptablefor use on a wide range of sizes and shapes of column, and of differentmaterials, which will not in any way injure or `affect the appearance ofthe surface of the object climbed, which put a minimum of strain on thewearer during climbing, which are capable of prolonged service withoutthe renewal or touching up of parts, and which may be worn in walkingwithout undue inconvenience and without becoming damaged or fouled.Other objects will become apparent in the course of the ensuingdescription.

Various types of climbing-irons have already become known for use inclimbing wooden, concrete, and iron masts. It is also known to makeadjustable climbing-irons with tapered arms adapted to embrace the mastto be climbed and capable of being adjusted to suit different sizes ofone particular cross-sectional shape of mast.

The disadvantages of all hithertoknown climbing-irons are, in the firstplace, that they can only be used on one kind of mast, and that of oneshape of cross-section only, while for instance in putting up overheadlines it is usual to employ different kinds of masts such as woodenpoles for the straight stretches and iron, wood, or concrete masts atthe angles, ends, and cross- 35 ing points, and, secondly, that in thecase of wooden and concrete masts the mast itself, and in the case ofiron masts the paint is damaged by the climbing-irons.

It is also already known to make climbing- 40 irons with resilientbearing surfaces which do not injure the mast, but these irons are soexpensive to manufacture and so cumbrous in use that they have notbecome adopted in practice.

The present invention avoids these drawbacks, and affords new andhitherto unrealized advantages. The essential feature of the inventionis that the tapered arms which embrace the mast are of hollowcross-section, while these adjustable embracing arms and thecountersupporting or thrust plates of the irons are provided withinwardly open hollow spaces adapted to hold and to support elasticallysupple gripping elements of high frictional resistance. A furtherfeature of the invention is that the said elastic elements have aplurality of similar gripping surfaces, are arranged to be reversibleand readilyexchangeable, and are thus capable of prolonged servicewithout the necessity for any altering or touching-up work. To permit ofthe wearer walking without having to take off the irons, the embracingarms are adapted to be folded over inwards, and the counter supportingplates to be folded upwards.

A form of construction embodying the invention is shown, by way ofexample, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a pair of climbing-irons in accordance with the invention,in the operative position strapped to the boots of the climber and usedin climbing a pole.

Fig. 2 shows one of these climbing-irons in side elevation, as seen fromthe inner side.

Fig.` 3 shows the same climbing-iron in plan View.

Fig. 4 shows one of the elastic gripping elements in cross-section.

Fig. 5 is a section taken through the embracing arm on the line 5 5 ofFig. 3.

The basic shape of the climbing-iron according to the present inventionis similar to that of known types of climbing-irons for use on woodenand concrete masts. In accordance with the invention, the iiyingembracing arm a, which is provided with an adjustable joint e, consistsof a hollow body of great resistance to bending and torsional strainstapered towards the outer end having throughout its entire length agroove or channel open on the inner side towards the object to beclimbed. This channel is adapted to receive and to retain a series ofsupple elastic gripping elements d of soft rubber or the like threadedin a close row upon a curved round section rod c. These elastic grippingelements d project well out of the channel which partly encases them,and thus constitute a composite gripping member which is resilient andsupple in al1 directions, but which at the same time is held fastagainst displacement and turning.

In the counter supporting plate i, which takes up the thrust of theembracing arm a, there are provided, in suitable open voids or sockets,similar elastic gripping elements or studs d likewise projecting inwardsat right angles to the surface 0f the object to be climbed. Screws 7c,which pass through the elastic gripping elements d wards and replacingof the same when worn f away on both sides. This same purpose isfulfilled by the detachable curved rod c on to which the elasticgripping elements d of the embracing arm a are threaded. It will beclear that the gripping elements become ever more rmlypressed into theirseating in the channel of the embracing arm by the pressure exertedthereon in use. At the inner, end of the arm a, the continuation ofwhich from the joint e onwards is formed of a thick-walled tube b ofsteel, there is provided the counter supporting plate z' which ispivotally mounted in the two bearing eyes Z but held fast againstdisplacement by the set-ring action of the stirrup n carrying thefoot-plate m. By virtue of this manner of assembling the countersupporting plate, the elastic gripping elements d secured therein areenabled to become adapted accurately to the surface of the mast in thevarious oblique settings of the climbing-iron, and more particularly tothe conicity and unevenness of the mast. For the purpose of walking onwet ground with the climbing irons strapped to the boots, the pivotedcounter supporting plate is turned up bodily, and thus protected againstsoiling and clogging. The wing nuts o permit of suitable adjustment ofthe resistance of the counter supporting plate i to rotation in itsbearings.

By operation of the hand screw f, which bears against the cam of thejoint e, the gripping span of the embracing arm a can be adjusted tosuit different sizes of mast and different degrees of conicity. In thec`ase of very high masts of considerable conicity, the gripping span ofthe embracing arms can be reduced during climbing and expanded againstduring descent. For walking with the climbing irons strapped to theboots, the arm ais folded over inwards towards the footplate m.

For climbing ice-covered or perfectly smooth masts, the elastic grippingelements, which consist preferably of soft rubber, can be covered withsoft leather in the form of a hose drawn thereover or with any othermaterial having higher frictional resistance than soft rubber. At thesame time, the softness and suppleness of the gripping elements shouldnot be materially reduced by these measures.

The gripping elements d may also be of other, for example triangular,cross-sectional shape, in which case the channeled sheet steel holdingarm, which is here shown as of U-shaped section, must be of suitablydifferent section. In any case, provision should be made for using thesides of these elements in succession, '1n the manner described above.

The climbing-irons here described and shown, are suitable for use onmasts of all kinds and of all cross-sectional shapes. Wooden masts,tubular iron masts of round, rectangular, elliptical, triangular, orother cross-section, and also concrete masts of round, angular, or theknown starshaped cross-section, can be climbed with their aid well andsafely, without damaging the masts or ruining the paint. It is notnecessary to keep a variety of special climbing-irons in readiness, tomeet varying needs. With the use of the climbing-irons according to thepresent invention Wooden masts do not become roughened and subject tomore rapid rotting, and fitters are not liable to become injured bysplinters. The hollow cross-section of the tapered embracing arms isalso of particular importance, since by virtue thereof the entire weightof the climbing-irons, and more particularly the weight, at the tip ofthe climbing-iron which tires the wearer of large climbing-irons verymarkedly, is very considerably reduced, without any sacrifice ofstrength.

I claim:

1. Climbing-irons for use on masts and columns of all kinds, of the typehaving tapered arms adapted to embrace the object climbed and movablyadjustable counter supporting plates, characterized by the fact that thetapered embracing arms are of hollow cross-section and provided with alongitudinal channel lled with elastic gripping elements projecting farout on the inner side towards the object climbed, and by the fact thatthe said counter supporting plates are provided with vertically disposedgrooves similarly lled with elastic gripping elements projecting farinwards.

2. Climbing-irons as claimed in claim l, characterized by the fact thatthe said elastic gripping elements are of equilateral cross-section, andadapted to become pressed, in use, into the grooves provided for them ofsuitable cross-sectional shape to ensure that they are held fast againstrotation and displacement, and that, after the wearing away of onegripping surface, each of the remaining sides may be used as a grippingsurface by the mere reversing of the said gripping elements.

3. Climbing-irons as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe counter supporting plate is capable of being brought into anelevated position, and thereby protected against fouling when worn overwet ground.

JOSEF PFISTERSHAMMER.

